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Parents' Page
Our Mission

The Kids’ Nite Out Across America® program was founded in 1991
in Westminster, Colorado with a simple mission: Provide parents
with a safe environment where their children ages 8 to 14 can
participate in an exciting age-appropriate program, keeping them
active, and allow them to have fun!
Today that mission still applies. Each month, we serve over
15,000 kids –
and, with our nationwide expansion, that number is growing
rapidly! We provide an active, community-positive program for
children that is supervised by caring adults.
Our Program
A Kids’ Nite Out Across America® program is a partnership
between a community facility (recreation center, YMCA, JCC,
school, church, etc.) and a Kids’ Nite Out Across America®
franchisee. Our programs usually run from 7 pm to 10:30 pm on
either Friday or Saturday nights throughout the school year and
are open to kids ages 8 to 14. Admission at most locations is
$10 per child, and kids may purchase food, beverages and snacks.
We have a wide variety of activities for kids to choose from,
with most taking place in the gym area and in the dance room.
In the gym, we run games and contests like basketball, scooter
hockey, dodgeball, lacrosse, soccer, kickball, football, and
relay races. We also have inflatables, which can include a
bounce house, a giant slide, a human slingshot, or an obstacle
course.
In the dance room, the kids can cut loose to their favorite
songs. Disc jockeys are hired and trained and play only music
that has been pre-approved, edited, and deemed appropriate. The
DJ runs dance contests and games throughout the night to
encourage the kids to participate.
If a facility has an indoor pool, two hours of each night may be
used for swimming and water games. We hire lifeguards to keep
everyone safe while our counselors get the kids involved in
various water game and activities.
One of the highlights of every Kids’ Nite Out Across America®
program is the opportunity to win prizes or candy cards. These
cards may be given for participating in games and contests,
showing good sportsmanship, answering trivia questions, or for
just being in the right place at the right time!
Safety
It’s great to see kids being active and having fun with their
friends. While their enjoyment is very important, what’s even
more important is their safety while in the Kids’ Nite Out
Across America® program.
All of our counselors are subjected to a criminal and
sex-offender background check prior to being hired and trained.
Our program include providing a maximum staffing ratio of 20:1
(kids to counselors), and having a uniformed police officer on
duty at all times.
Community, Pediatrician and Parent Endorsement
Schools and city councils have given their support to the Kids’ Nite Out Across America® program. Community leaders agree that
there are few social opportunities for the 8 to 14 year old age
group, and our program is designed to meet that need.
Pediatricians find value in programs that promote physical
activity. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,
“regular physical activity should be protected within families,
schools, and communities.”* At Kids’ Nite Out Across America®, we find fun ways
to keep kids active. Whether they’re playing dodgeball in the
gym, dancing to their favorite tunes, or playing water games,
they’re getting the exercise they need with the excitement and
variety that they want. And – through our random trivia games –
we even help them exercise their brains!
Finally, parents praise the program for many reasons. They feel
reassured that their children will be in a safe, secure
environment and also enjoy the fact that their kids will be
involved all evening, getting the exercise and social
interaction that they need. And last, but not least, parents get
a night out of their own!
*From
Prevention of Pediatric Overweight and Obesity, Pediatrics.
2003;112:424-430
TESTIMONIALS:
“Kids’ Nite Out Across America® is a fantastic program for kids!
My two boys have both been attending KNO for the past two years
and can’t get enough of it! They get a fun night out with their
friends each weekend and feel so grown up without me or my
husband around. I love it because I know that they will be safe
and will have a great time, and I get a night out too! Thank
you!”
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Mrs. Patricia Crowley
Lakewood, Colorado
“…I feel that
having this program offered in any community is an asset. It
provides healthy activities for the kids and allows them to
interact with children their own age…..I would strongly
recommend any community who does not have a Kids’ Nite Out Across America®
program to investigate on how to bring it to their own town or
city. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved!”
-
Michelle Ellerman
Police Officer
Boulder, Colorado
To learn
more about our program, please visit our
Frequently Asked Questions. |